Swimming at the Hotsprings
by sanguineblood2050
Summary: I wanted more of those skipped moments from the books. Here is what takes place during the summer while Bella has her leg in a cast, after Twilight but before New Moon, which acknowledges the emotional loss that Bella has in the autumn. All from Bella's
1. Chapter 1

Summer Explorations of the Olympic Mountains by Sanguineblood

**Author's Note**: This story is written in a colloquial, first person point of view, so you, as a reader can feel like Bella, and hear her thoughts. And I'm mostly metric Canadian.

**Disclaimer**: Everything and anything related to the _Twilight _saga belong to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

(I wanted more of those skipped moments from the books. Here is what takes place during the summer while Bella has her leg in a cast, after Twilight but before New Moon, which acknowledges the emotional loss that Bella has in the Autumn. All from Bella's perspective. The sweetness of a beginning romance. This is my first fan fiction story.)

Preface

His hands felt warm in the water as they gentle took mine to guide me into the hot water. My eyes did not leave his golden ones as I walked forward. They couldn't. It was like I was mesmerized by the irresistible orbs and the arousing touch. And the water was so warm and comforting. Soothing. Trusting. My insides clenched as his touch continued, traced along my forearm to my elbow, with gentle stokes and stabilized me a bit then moved toward my shoulders. I ought to be used to this sensation after this summer. My eyes moved toward his mouth and I licked my lips in anticipation. Then I made a fatal move and slipped, submerged, completely underwater.

As I tried to find my footing on the slimy slippery bottom, I felt his hand on mine and pulling me up. If I opened my eyes I probably would have seen his, underwater watching over me carefully. But I couldn't open my eyes in this warm water, even though I knew the water flowed through the pool and was clean, it would be like recognizing that I was so in love yet fearful that I could not make it work. I wasn't worthy.


	2. Chapter 2

Summer Explorations of the Olympic Mountains by Sanguineblood

**Author's Note**: This story is written in a colloquial, first person point of view, so you, as a reader can feel like Bella, and hear her thoughts. And I'm mostly metric Canadian.

**Disclaimer**: Everything and anything related to the _Twilight _saga belong to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

**Chapter 1 Muffins**

The sound of the front door shutting woke me up from my dreams of Edward and I. And eternity. Sigh. It must be about 5:30 am as I heard Charlie's car start up and the crunch of the tires as it moved down our gravel drive.

My room felt empty like something important was absent. I opened my eyes and noted that Edward was not here this morning. He's been gone some mornings so Charlie doesn't catch him in my room. I hugged myself wondering how I was so lucky to be with gorgeous, sweet, caring, gentle man. I don't deserve such a wonderful person. His chiseled features and tussled bronze hair made me want to smooth my fingers along them. How did I deserve such a brilliant, selfish, moody, compelling man. Even though he looks seventeen he's much older. More experienced.

I rolled out of bed and wandered to the bathroom with my eyes slightly open not willing to wake up. I rarely can get back to sleep once I've been woken up, even though I have no place to go since school is out for the summer. The shower felt good this morning and I was thankful that Charlie put in a hand-held shower nozzle since my cast is not suppose to get really wet.

My broken leg is taking the longest to heal. My ribs only ache now and again. My head seems fine most of the time. I've only added to the bruises that were beginning to fade from the incident in the dance studio. Only four more weeks. Pretty much the rest of the summer until this cast is off my leg. It itched so much.

Drying off was a challenge as I tried to prevent the cast on my leg from having water run down it. I taped a wrap of plastic around the top to my leg. Even so, the trickles of water tickled irritatingly. I walked back to my room with just a towel wrapped around me to thinking about the day. It was sunny so Edward might just want to stay in. I think I'd like to make a chocolate torte for dessert later but the thought of some homemade muffins for breakfast made my mouth water.

I've been home from the Phoenix hospital for nearly four weeks and Charlie has been doing most of the cooking; rather re-warming of food, some from friends, most from the local diner, all of which I'm pretty tired of eating. I enjoy cooking and now that I'm becoming mobile again, I'm looking forward to doing more. Shopping is going to be challenge since I'm not able to drive yet.

I got dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, skipping the socks for the moment; I'll toss on my clogs that are at the bottom of the staircase. My thoughts wandered to Edward. He's been with me as much as possible despite me being grounded. Mostly he's allowed over for a few hours in the evening according to Charlie. Alice has been helping me with all nearly everything else and I've been spending a lot of time at her house with the rest of the Cullens. We've all become such good friends, apart from Rosalie, and I feel like I finally fit in somewhere. Even with that very unusual Cullen family.

With all my injuries, I haven't been able to do very much, which works well for me since I'm not the kind of girl who has to go, see and do something all the time. I do feel that Edward's hanging out with me because of his guilt over my injuries; I mean who wants to be with a cripple.

I did manage to write my school's year end exams with Edward helping me study. Although that was probably just a reason for him to be with me while compiling with my curfew. You know, because he feels guilty about my injuries.

Since then we spend a lot of time hanging out on the couch, watching movies, playing cards and board games. I've been over to visit at the Cullen's house, under the pretense of visiting Alice, of course. All of six of us played the Apple to Apples card game yesterday, and it was more hilarious than the last time. My abdomen hurts the today from laughing so much. We'll be playing again tomorrow.

I opened to the moist and scrumptious muffin recipe in my cook book and then got the ingredients from the cupboard. Measuring, mixing and pouring took moments and now I could smell the muffins cooking while I waited reading my novel. I've been reading and rereading my favorites, you know, and then picked one out of Edward's family's collection: Alexandre Dumas pere's _The Count of Monte Cristo_. It is very good so far.

The timer on the oven went just as Edward open the back door startling me from my reading. His appearance never fails to steal my breath away. He had changed his clothes to a long sleeved crew neck gray tee shirt and a pair of jeans. The snug fit of the shirt emphasized the contours of his strong shoulders and flat belly. I stood up and held my arms out as he walked through the door. I'm always in need of a hug. Edward stoked my back while we cuddled together, his chin resting on my head.

"Hi."

"Good morning. How was the shower?" he said voice vibrating my hair.

"Just manageable," I said inhaling his intoxicating smell, eyes closed, "where did you go?"

"Alice needed me this morning," he replied, "And according to Alice, it will be cloudy and windy later."

Living in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains of Washington State meant lots of rains, so sunshiny periods are rare moments, literately.

"The muffins smell delicious, better that ones that they make at the Diner."

The timer beeped again so I let him go and hobbled over to open up the oven door and take the muffin tin out.

"You think so? They make their own at the Diner," I said glancing at Edward.

"You're asking me? with my acute sense of smell," Edward said with an incredulous look on his face.

"Well, I was thinking that I need to make some money this summer, maybe I can make muffins to sell at the coffee shack drive thru. What do you think?" I said.

"That could work. You are usually up early enough to make a dozen or so and then we can drive them down. Do you know who provides them with their muffins now?" Edward said.

"Good question, I don't think I've seen their muffins. Maybe we can check that out today? And take them a sample as I made extras," I said.

"Sure, although it's sunny at the moment," Edward said to remind me that he has be careful when its sunny due to his reflective skin.

"I can wait," I said and took a bit from the muffin, delicious, moist and hot.

I've spend a lot of time curled up, with my leg support on an ottoman, watching movies with Edward. It is my latest favorite pastime, yet as my body has started to heal, I've started cooking again…I enjoy it a lot. Even though Charlie is the only who enjoys it with me. And even then he'd rather eat the fish he caught.

"Okay, what are you doing today?" I said.

"I thought it would be interesting to go storm wave watching from Strawberry Point," Edward said, "It's should be cloudy and windy as the westerly moves down the Strait of Juan de Fuca."

"The wind is coming off the Pacific Ocean?" I said thinking about the term westerly.

"Yes, it will be great for the surfers and storm wave watching," Edward said with enthusiasm.

"Oh?" I said wondering what Edward could be excited about.

"Well, Emmett's challenged Jasper to dodging the rocks at the Giants Graveyard and this might just be the best opportunity with some great surf. How about we go see the Giants Graveyard too, the ocean waves are supposed to be spectacular," he said with hope.

"And you can watch the carnage from the guys challenge," I said with a laugh. "Isn't it bad to surf when the wind is blowing onshore? I read that somewhere."

"Yes," Edward replied, "only if you are not a vampire."

Strawberry Point and the Giant's Graveyard are about 25 kilometers south west of Forks and south of La Push. Although I've read about the surf carved rock formation of the coast I've not been there yet. The trail head is at the end of Oil City Road which is off Highway 101. It's is a popular place, a favorite among many weekenders, but with the drizzly day, it's a good spot to drive to. The hike, as I later found out, is fairly easy for everyone regardless of physical conditioning. This is good as I'm known to be clumsy even without a cast on my leg.

"How am I supposed to manage a twenty-five kilometer hike?" I said grinning as I gestured to my immobilized leg. I was looking forward to spending the day with him.

Edward's face echoed mine back and he said, "I'll carry you."

"umm, will Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett be with us too?" I said, as the butterflies in my stomach started moving.

"No, they've made other plans today, so we will see them later at the Graveyard."

"That's good," I said as I reached to my half bitten muffin. Edward reach out for me, pulling me in toward him. His arms tightened around me and his breath cooled my cheek.

"Wait I want to try something," he said as he moved his face closer gentle touching his lips to mine.

I shivered and tried to hold still to Edward's cautious movement. He brought his face slowly to mine as I quickly closed the space and touched my forehead to his cheek. I can't stop myself. He slid his face along mine with his fingers skimming my cheek. The jolt from his cool touch jumps my heart rate as well as the rest of me and we pulled apart laughing lightly.

The Giant's Graveyard and Graveyard Point is only about 8 kilometers from Third Beach, which, as I understand, is included in the Treaty area.


	3. Chapter 3

Summer Explorations of the Olympic Mountains by Sanguineblood

**Author's Note**: This story is written in a colloquial, first person point of view, so you, as a reader can feel like Bella, and hear her thoughts. And I'm mostly metric Canadian.

**Disclaimer**: Everything and anything related to the _Twilight _saga belong to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

**Chapter 2 Strawberry Point and the Giants' Graveyard**

I finished my muffin and we checked out the coffee shack drive thru. The owner said he'd try the samples we brought and give me call later. Then we headed to Strawberry Point and the Giants Graveyard, that spectacular rock formation off the coast. Edward's radio was playing some symphonic music full of light wit.

"What music is this?" I said

"Carl Nielsen's flute concerto. Carlisle and Emse attended an outdoor concert in Chicago a few years back and recommended it to me. Would you rather listen to something else?"

Both our hands reached the console at the same moment. Our usual spark made Edward twitch back so my fingers took hold of the controls.

"This is fine for now," I said.

With the speed Edward likes to drive, and that he knows where the police cruisers are, at we arrived at the end of Oil City Road just as the concerto finished and found that although this is a popular place for families doing day hikes, surf fishermen, and beach combers, the parking lot was empty. I pull my rain jacket and stepped out the door that Edward had opened for me. I wasn't waiting for him, it's just that I am moving slowly these days. Really.

"Are you ready?" he said with arms extend as though to carry me in front of him, like his bride.

"I'm okay. I can walk some of the way, Edward."

I took about three steps before I felt my body falling backward with a whoosh. I closed my eyes in anticipation of the hard damp ground. When I didn't hit the ground and seem to rise high, I felt Edward's lips on my cheek.

"I want to keep you safe, Bella," he said whispered. I couldn't I argue with that.

The wind on my face felt great after being unable to move anywhere very fast for the past couple of weeks. I took a couple of deep breaths, inhaling Edward's scent and the damp smells of the coastal forest. My eyes opened to spectacular views of tall ferns overhang the narrow, exposed roots on the trail that led from the car along a steep gully. We descend through this virgin rain forest along the side of Hoh River. I felt reassured when Edward decided to follow the trail. I'm still quite certain that he could lose me in the forest if we didn't.

Edward described that the pine needle covered trail lead from the parking lot toward the beach and eased into the forest where the beach was impassable. As we hiked north, there were several bays and coves along the way before we reached Strawberry Point.

Edward lower me down to I could shuffle across the first bridge over a gully. The view across the Hoh River Valley's floodplain was spectacular. I remember from Biology class that the river is home to steelhead salmon which spawn in the upper reaches of the river. Charlie likes to catch the ocean running steelheads rather than fly-fish in the river.

Edward said, "Bella, welcome to the temperate rain forest jungle."

"The river valley is spectacular and I feel very small here, amongst the giant trees," I said looking around.

It felt mystical and enchanting despite my less than elegant movement across the bridge. As I trudged into the rain forest the huge fronds of the ferns, the surreal canopy of green mosses and the blue ribbon of water from the Hoh River provide an apt setting for a paranormal experience.

"Edward, what do you remember about ferns?" I said looking at a variety of different leaf shapes.

"There are the licorice fern, maidenhair fern and sword fern which all match their names, that is the sword fern does curve like an ancient curved sword blade, the maidenhair has fronds that are very fragile looking where as the licorice fern has rhizomes that taste like licorice…want to try it?" he said with a grin.

"I'm not tasting the root of a licorice fern…even if you find one," I said.

"If I find one?" Edward said, "Of course I will find one."

So now we had our quest for the licorice fern. I'm still not going to taste it.

Edward pointed out sea rose he traversed along the steep trail edge amongst the purple hyacinth, a. "Should I pick some and make you a hairpiece?" he said.

"I'll probably just lose it, but thanks for the thought," I said.

We quickly walked across the rocky pebbly beach that forms the Hoh River bank and saw the sea stacks to the left amongst the crashing waves, past where the river meet the ocean. The shoreline itself was composed of conglomerate rocks. Few were rounded and smoothed by the movement of the ocean waves.

"It looks like someone poured concrete on the beach here," I said looking at the shoreline above the beach.

"It does," Edward said, "that's conglomerate rock since the smaller fragments of rock have been compressed together with the surrounding sediments."

"That's a sedimentary rock formation," I said remembering our geology class. "The large sediments are also held together by dissolved minerals."

It was an interesting change to be outside and recognizing some of the things that we had covered in school. Who knew I'd actually be looking at rocks but since I was being carried I could look around a lot more. We quickly walked passed Diamond Rock, no diamonds, and paused at a small water fall in Jefferson Cove. The beach here was covered in small pebbles and lead toward the steep wood ladder up the cliff face.

"So, Edward?" I said as I looked up the steep ladder clinging to the rock wall.

"We'll jump up. Can you hang on to me?" he said exhaling cool sweet air across my face.

I blanked out for a moment.

"No need to dazzle me," I said eventually regaining my senses, "I'll hang on."

Edward did literally jump up the rock wall passing by the wood ladder and ropes. We quickly were back into the dense forest of pine, Sitka spruce and ferns. I reached, out once we arrived at the top, to the salmon berry bush and picked off a berry.

"I thought you weren't going to eat anything out here," Edward said.

"Salmonberries are not licorice fern roots," I said with a grin and found another one.

"Here you try it. It's delicious," I said a leaned over to Edward's mouth with the juicy berry.

I tried to place it in his mouth but he noticed and sealed his lips, while I was tempted to smear it on his face I thought it would be a waste so I just popped into mine.

We crossed an open area that could be used for tenting and followed a boardwalk over a marshy area choked with skunk cabbage. Edward held me close as he rock-hop across a stream, laughing that he'd drop me in. When the forest became thick he helped me hike through a tunnel of vegetation. As we observed several giant Sitka spruce, whose lower trunks are encased in moss and lichen, Edward picked me up again. We paused often to enjoy the giant trees, waterfalls and coastal views.

Even with my dead weight, Edward and I arrived at Strawberry Point within an hour. There would have been no way I could have walked this trail even that fast. Edward placed me next to a small basket with blankets. The basket held water and a packet of strawberries, of course.

"Alice?" I said. Edward nodded slightly with a smirk.

"They passed by here earlier on their morning walk."

"Thank you, Alice," I said thinking that she will hear me though Edward.

"You're welcome," she replied as she stepped out of the forest dressed in her fashionista styled hiker. She looked like a model from the latest Patagonia catalogue with her fusion sun shelter shirt and black merino wool pants finished with her cute Bly boots. Fresh and bubbly.

I jumped up and stumbled over my leg cast. She caught me with quick hug and placed me back on the blanket. "Enjoy the hike?"

I smiled in reply and glanced at Edward, who seemed miffed at the intrusion, as he stared at Alice. Alice said, "I'm only here to remind you not to head further north, so I'll be off."

"Why?" I said puzzled, as I didn't know how close we were to La Push.

Edward seemed to say something to Alice as she disappeared in to the thick salal bushes. "Why?" I asked again.

"She said the weather is getting worse and there are some hike-in camping areas in use further north."

"So we should head back soon."

"Shortly. See the cluster of sea stacks, islands and rock pinnacles. That's the Giants' Graveyard."

I looked out over the ocean as Edward crouched behind me with his arm pointing out over the water. I leaned back into him and he put his arms around me. I relaxed into his hard body with a sigh.

The view was fantastic. The sea stacks were left from the erosion of the sandstone and look like enormous gravestone markers. We watched two small surfers make their way between the towers of rock. They kept disappearing from sight and I would hold my breath. I don't know how Jasper and Emmett avoid colliding with the stacks. Although from what I do know of them, they probably didn't.

We stayed like that for a while and I tilted my head onto his shoulder getting comfortable. His breath cooled my cheek and I shivered while my heart stared to race.

Edward laughed, "Although I can't read your thoughts, your body is responding with anticipation of something. Should I kiss you?"

"Would you?"

In response he turned his lips to my ear, gently pulling back my hair, and gave me a series of tiny kisses that travelled down my jaw. I couldn't sit still and attempted to turn to give him better access to my lips. His lips connected to mine with a light touch and I moved my face forward in response. Eventually we pulled part, I was light headed and short of breathe.

"I think we better go now," Edward said looking at the sky which was becoming dark with the incoming storm. "We'll take a shorter route back to your house."

He placed the empty basket in my hands and picked up me with the blanket. While the drive and the hike had taken part of the morning our return trip did seemed to take minutes.

"Do you know your way in the forest here?" I said looking up at the trees towering 300 feet overhead.

Edward followed my gaze. "Today's not the best day to go into the canopy of the cedars. I'll take you to the top of one of these trees another day," he said.

It was more comfortable being cushioned in the blanket on the way home and I could still feel Edwards firm body as I was gentle held against it as he ran us home. We did have one stop on the way. Edward found a licorice fern under the trunk of the big-leaf maple tree and dug up a root piece me.

"Here, Bella, the rhizomes contain ostadin, an organic compound three thousand times sweeter than sucrose. Coastal native peoples used the rhizomes as a sweetener and for treating throat ailments," Edward said sweetly.

"I'm not eating a root, fresh or not," I said, "How do you know all that stuff about it?"

"I've lived a long time," Edward replied as we arrived back at Charlie's.

"Why didn't we go this way to get there?" I said.

"Then we wouldn't have had so much time hiking together," Edward said.

"That was a great view of the ocean surf, wasn't it? And delicious strawberries," I said feeling rather tired after all that fresh air.

"Let's watch a movie," Edward said.

"Which one?"

"You're choice."

"How about _Jumper_? Even though we've seen it just a couple of days ago, it does have some great scenery. Then I'm going to make a chocolate torte for dinner. Oh, I'd better pull out some salmon for dinner. I'll marinate it in teriyaki sauce while we're watching the movie," I said as I set off thumping to the kitchen.

"Let me help you," Edward said.

"Thanks, ugh, I'm so ready to get this cast off," I said with annoyance.

I quickly placed the salmon fillets into the marinating dish and pouring the teriyaki sauce over it, sealing the cover over top. I'll make the torte once the movie's done.

Edward helped me back to the couch, got me comfortable and started the movie. He moved in next to me as I snuggled in a blanket. The movie Jumper is a great way to the see the world as the main character teleports himself around the world. That would be so cool to have the ability to do. I wonder what my ability will be when I am a vampire.


	4. Chapter 4

Summer Explorations of the Olympic Mountains by Sanguineblood

**Author's Note**: This story is written in a colloquial, first person point of view, so you, as a reader can feel like Bella, and hear her thoughts. And I'm mostly metric Canadian.

**Disclaimer**: Everything and anything related to the _Twilight _saga belong to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

Chapter 3 Hurricane Ridge

A few days later after our hike to Strawberry Point and Edward returned from an overnight hunting trip with Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper.

"This is a good week for the alpine flowers," Edward said as he opened the kitchen door.

I looked up from my book. I was finishing the last few pages of The Count while the muffins cooked. Alice had helped me drive my delivery to the café while Edward was away.

"Those muffins smell really good," Edward said as he walked in to the house.

"These have a special zinc and iron additive," I said, "which is appealing to vampires," and then grinned.

"Very funny, that would give your muffins an odd odor and color."

"True, so I added chocolate chunks and powder to the chickpea flour."

"Well, you seem to be experimenting with your recipe. How is business with the café?" Edward asked.

"They are selling out every day and asking for more. I'm just not sure I want to cook more than a couple dozen a day at this point," I said.

"Then just make that many," Edward said. "It's marketing 101 to keep the supply below the demand."

The bell on the oven sounded for I hobbled over to turn it off and take the muffins out. Edward beat me to it of course and I ran into him as he placed the muffin tin on the stove top. He turned and caught me with one hand.

"Easy there, Bella, I've the muffins out for you."

"I can do it myself Edward, I can!" I said as I almost fell down.

"I know you can." Edward said.

"Just because I'm slower and clumsier with this cast on my leg doesn't mean I am a complete cripple!"

"Who said anything about being a cripple?"

I sigh. "Sorry, Edward, I am just tired of everyone helping me with everything, Alice was here a lot while you were gone. Thank you."

Edward pulled to closer and wrapped his arms around me. I was stiff against him but soon lost in a cascade of sensations and smells.

"Would you like to go up to Hurricane Ridge this evening?" Edward asked. "The gang will meet up there."

"Hmmm," was all I could manage as I inhaled and relaxed.

The hundred kilometer drive to Hurricane Ridge was quick, despite the switchbacks on the road up the mountain. I chose the tunes this time so we listened to Avril's Runaway It seems to fit my mood these day. One moment I'm in love the next I'm afraid that I'll be by all alone again and just want to run away from everything.

Sensual appreciation swept through me as I watched Edward walk around the front of the car in the Hurricane Ridge parking lot. He moved with the fluid easy grace that was similar to the mountain lion as it moved to catch a deer for dinner. It felt a little dangerous to be hiking in the meadows of the Olympic Mountains. I smiled at that.

Alice, who really does seem to know everyone, knows the park warden and was able to secure us access down the mountain after normal hours although in the summer the days are long anyway. The storm force winds today had kept most other visitors off the mountain top despite the clear weather. Summer squalls are not unusual for this time of year, especially when the wind blows off of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

My car door opened and my urge to jump into Edward's arms was stemmed of course by my heavy clunky leg. Not much longer I thought.

"Have you been up here before?" I said.

"Not exactly," Edward said, as he glanced around the empty parking lot. "I usually travel to the more remote areas of the park when I go out with my family."

He leaned forward to claim my lips. I deepened the kiss deliberately softening my lips. The scent Edward's breath made me exhale slightly and he raised his head slowly. Breaking off the kiss, I was left woozy.

"Shall we go? Emmett and the rest said they would meet us at the top," Edward said with a smile. As we strolled out of the parking lot, I looked over the expanse of the mountain tops. The sun was low in the sky. It streaked the clouds gathering out on the horizon with ominous shades of orange and gold. When Edward suggested another outing I did not picture him carrying me again but here we are on the mountain top about to embark on a hike in the twilight.

Hurricane Ridge, 1800meters above the Strait, provides a fifty kilometer view north, across the Strait, to Victoria, B.C., in Canada. The south view was alpine meadows and glacial peaks of the other Olympic Mountains. Edward carried me along the paved path to the view point about two kilometers from the parking lot, typically there is a ton of people up here in the summer, but not tonight.

As we neared the top of the trail a shower of snow covered me as snowballs seemed to come out of nowhere. They all hit Edward who still had me in his embrace. He held me up as protection before he ducked behind an outcrop to place me on the ground.

"Stay here," he said then disappeared in a blur to the snow bank about nine meters way.

Snowballs began to fly in up the trail and small cries indicated that Edward was hitting his targets very well.

After a few minutes of cease fire, Emmett's hands appear over the ridge. Then Jasper's and Rosalie's. Finally Alice appeared as she walked toward my rocky protection.

"We didn't hit you did we, Bella?" Alice said as she smiled and kept walking toward me. The other three appeared behind her.

"We were aiming to hit Edward," Emmett said to explain what had happened, "And since he's such a good shot that we decided to stop the fight, even though we could have taken him."

Edward just smiled and reached over to me to help me stand up.

"Let's make it the rest of the way to the summit," Edward said and tipped me up into his arms again.

"I can walk," I said feeling embarrassed in front of the others.

"I just wanted to reach the top before the sun set so you could see the terrain and the wildflowers."

"Oh, right," I said realizing that it would be dark if I walked the rest of the way. We all moved slowly along the well trodden path.

"There is a subarctic lupine," Alice said pointing to a tall plant with small purple flowers lined the top stalk. "And a yellow glacier lily." She now pointed down at the ground at a carpet of yellow flowers each with six petals.

Not to be outdone, Rosalie pointed to another plant that looked rather unusual. "That is a western anemone, from the buttercup family, it has the globular tops on it longest stalks. It's like many of the other wild flowers here that is has an strong root system to grow amongst the shale, talus and sandstone."

Emmett looked at Rosalie with astonishment. "Wow, baby, who knew you knew so much about flowers."

Rosalie looked smugly back at him.

We walked along the trail until we reached the view point. It was like standing on top of the world even the clouds were below us.

"Who can reach the clouds down there?" I said in wonder and aware at the natural beauty of the alpine scenery.

Emmett said, "I can do that." He disappeared in a blur of motion although I was not sure how he was going to show us that he reached the clouds.

I snickered quietly I thought but everyone looked at me like I should know better than to make a comment like that.

"I'd better follow that fluffhead," Rosalie said huffing then she disappeared after Emmett.

Edward poked me and said, "If you look over to the west you can see where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the Pacific Ocean. That's the edge of the continent for the United States."

We all looked westward.

"I'm guessing we are going to go there sometime soon," I said smiling while looking over at Edward.

"Sure, I need to get you out of your house, and this way you also get to learn about this area." He replied as he ruffled my hair gently with his hand and pulled me into his chest.


	5. Chapter 5

Summer Explorations of the Olympic Mountains by Sanguineblood

**Author's Note**: This story is written in a colloquial, first person point of view, so you, as a reader can feel like Bella, and hear her thoughts. And I'm mostly metric Canadian.

**Disclaimer**: Everything and anything related to the _Twilight _saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

Chapter 4 Cape Flattery

Only one more week to go before I can get this cast off my leg and move like a normal person. Well almost normal. My muffin business has had consistent sales all month but since I'll be starting at Newton's Outdoor Store in a couple of weeks, next week is my last week of muffin deliveries. Work at the Outdoor Store will provide me with more income but Edward's is not happy with the idea of Mike spending anytime with me. I tried to say that Mike should not have the same hours as me only to get a skeptical stare from Edward. It's a mute point since I need more money for gas and I'm not just taking handouts from Edward. It's bad enough that Alice gets her way and buys me clothes and things. As it is, all of our outings have been paid for by Edward; he even snuck the truck away and had Rosalie tune it up and returned it filled with gas. I do not want to be taken care, well not really. I am not used to it.

Today we are off to see the sunset at Cape Flattery. All I know is that Cape Flattery the furthest west one can go on the continental of United States. Vancouver Island is to the north but that is in Canada. Charlie says the fishing is excellent in the narrows between the mainland and Tatoosh Island, where the Cape Flattery Lighthouse is located.

I was finishing my lunch when the door opened.

"Hello?"

"Alice? I'm in the kitchen," I said.

She strolled in looking amazing in her hiking gear. She was wearing a petrified oak colored Paseo skirt with a chicory reflections top with stockings in her Tiva Westwater Leather sandals. I know since she made me watch while she was shopping online. As it is, I managed to avoid getting everything she suggested but the fusion sunset Patagonia's women's sport top which I'm wearing today just to please her.

"Ready to head off to Flattery?" she said bouncing slightly on her toes.

I looked over to her enviously, "You do that on purpose, don't you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," Alice said.

"Just because I can't bounce on my toes," I said, "you do it." Not much longer before I will be able to try that again.

"You'll be so happy to have your cast off," Alice said with understanding.

"Oh ya," I said. Understatement.

"Are they guys out side?"

"No, Edward's driving up with Jasper and I'll take you in the Jeep," Alice said.

"Emmett is letting you drive that? Okay, should I bring anything, in particular?" I said.

Alice paused for a moment then said, "No, the weather will remain overcast until we get there and then it will clear just for sunset. It won't rain until we are home."

I'm always intrigued by Alice's ability to predict the future. Although the weather is one I am sure could do too if I caught the news and weather reports.

"I'll just grab my jacket," I said as I hobbled toward the door.

"Okay, I'll help you to the Jeep," Alice said. I've gotten slightly better with my cast leg but it is faster when someone helps me around then I am with my crutches. Alice is so strong for such a little person.

As we made our way to the Alice's vehicle I said, "Alice, what music do you think you need today?"

She looked at me with a grin, "Edward gave me a disc with your favorites already."

We listened to music in the car cranked loud especially during the several kilometers of gravel road that lead to the trailhead. We arrived just after the boys. Jasper came over and handed Alice the national park recreation pass for the Jeep. He looked at me with hunger in his eyes. Edward helped me out of the car and glared back at Jasper.

Alice said, "He wasn't going to do anything, I would have seen."

"So, just about a kilometer to the edge of the continent," I said as I read the signage at the trailhead, ignoring the exchange, "that should take an hour at my speed. How are you all going to handle walking so slow?"

"It will be good for us," said Alice.

"And who said anything about you walking the whole way," Edward said with a grin. "I've enjoyed carrying you around."

"Agreed," I said smiling, and noticed that the trail was beautifully groomed.

We had parked with half a dozen other cars. The trailhead lead into the forest though marshlands using cedar planked boardwalks and around the largest of the cedar and trees.

I caught glimpses of the ocean and seascape through the trees hoping for more. I'd heard that grey whales pass close to the shore at this point.

The trail is relatively easy, in that the terrain is flat but with the varying landscapes cover with a planked board walk. There were many sets of stairs were difficult to do with my casted leg. Edward helped me a lot which we both seem to enjoy. His body was firm and I had to catch my low moan when he held me close. I want him to do more than hold me but we are taking things slow, taking some time to figure each other out. Just how do a vampire and a human interact, especially when one desires the others blood. I was enjoying flirting with him and having him look at me like I was pretty and desirable. Even though I don't believe it.

"Look, Bella!" Alice called out. She was standing at the first platform that gave a clear view of the ocean. "See the grey whales? Out straight ahead?"

I didn't but both Jasper and Edward could. I should have brought binoculars, darn vampire vision.

"Maybe they'll be closer further down the trail," Alice said with a hopeful tone as we moved along the boardwalk.

The next observation deck overlooked the cape and the ocean. I spotted a couple of sea otters wrapped in the kelp just floating on the ocean swells. They looked pretty. Then I noticed that they appeared to be holding hands.

"Edward," I said in a whisper, "Look down there." I pointed to where I'd seen the otters, but they were gone underwater already. I described what I had seen and he laughed at the thought of the otter holding hands and gave me a long patient look.

We continued on the walkway looking into the deep narrow coves beneath the board walks which seemed mysterious and eerily. The towering Sitka spruce trees lines the coast stubbornly. Some were bent over due to the continuous on shore wind. Others appeared to be growing out of rock.

At the promontory of Cape Flattery, the viewpoint deck provided a place to look out the Tatoosh Island and the now automated lighthouse.

"The light house was built in 1854 to provide night time access to the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the sailing yachts. And a fog horn was added about eighteen years later," Jasper intoned in a military style.

Alice giggled at him. "Go on."

Well," said Jasper, "The lighthouse was manned for over a hundred years and also had a manned weather station. Due to the isolation of the Island, the weather station was decommissioned in 1966 and then light house automated in 1977. No one lives on the island anymore. Is has been used infrequently as a summer haunt of the local Indian tribe, the Makah."

"I read something about them at the trail head," I said, "they were involved in rebuilding the trail out here."

They all looked at me and Alice said, "Oh, Bella can read while being next to Edward amazing that you are not completely dazzled." And we all laughed and I blushed deeply at her teasing.

I leaned on the rail staring out at the islands. The sun was low in the sky provide an array of colors over the clouds. The water far below was restless, crashing against the hard unforgiving rocks. The birds wheeled white toward the colorful sky and dipped toward the spewing waves. The continuous crashing of the rolling waves was soothing.

Edward came up behind me. I could sense he was there. I wanted to lean back into him and feel his arms around me. To trust in him with by body and my emotions. I did lean back and his arms wrapped around me.

"This is like something out of a dream to see all these amazing colors, the reflections off the water, the sounds of the sea and being here with you," said Edward

I turned, noticing that Alice and Jasper were further down the deck, and we were alone.

"Thank you for bring me out here, Edward," I said and turned to lifted my face toward him.

He wrapped his arms around me, softly, slowly, drawing me close. His eyes stayed on mine through the thudding of my heart. His mouth touched mine and retreated. Shifted angles and touch again. Soft and deep and welcoming, the kiss shimmered through me. I lean forward and lost my balance as my casted leg bend the wrong way due to my muscles going lax, my knees weak. Edward drew away and I inhaled sharply not realizing that I had been holding my breath, and balanced me before I fell.

"Well." I began, but Edward was kissing me again in the same drugging delicious way. Caught in the soft passion, and the sunset and sea breezes. Twilight.

I gulped for air when Edward lifted his lips, his eyes were so close so golden so clear I could see myself in them. Caught in his eyes.

"Ehumm," Alice said to us, "the sun has gone and we should be getting back, it's still a long drive home, Bella, Edward."

We both shifted guilty away from each other. "Okay," Edward said, "I'll carry Bella to speed up the return trip. Will you go with Alice, Jasper? I'd like to drive Bella home."

"No problem," Jasper said. "See you later."

Edward scooped me up in his arms and said, "This might be better is you close your eyes."

I didn't close my eyes but saw that the world was blur for a moment then as I was placed in the Volvo. Edward and I talk the whole way back and I watched his expressions as he shared a story about his friends in Alaska. I reached out to gentle caress his hand although I was obsessed with the idea of touching more of him. I felt rejuvenated listening to him and disappointment when we finally arrived home.


	6. Chapter 6

Summer Explorations of the Olympic Mountains by Sanguineblood

**Author's Note**: This story is written in a colloquial, first person point of view, so you, as a reader can feel like Bella, and hear her thoughts. And I'm mostly metric Canadian.

**Disclaimer**: Everything and anything related to the _Twilight _saga belong to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

Chapter 5 Wedding Rocks

"If you are up to it, Bella, I'd like to show you some petroglyphs on the coast," Edward said the next morning as I was making the muffins dancing to Outkast's _Hey ya_. I was feeling good, I don't know why, perhaps it's Edward perhaps it's having Alice as a friend.

"Petroglyphs?" I said and turned down the music.

"Hey ya!" I decided before Edward could tell me anything about them.

"Really, you are not too tired from yesterdays hike?"

"How could I be, you carried me most of the way," I replied, although I did sleep like the dead.

"Okay, the petroglyphs are at Wedding Rocks headland so we can look through the tide pools on our way there. Today's a good day since the tides are low enough to access the Rocks that are in the lower intertidal area of the beach. It's been windy and rainy throughout the night so no one should be there when the sun comes out later."

"Really, I'll get to see you in the sun again? What are we waiting for?" I said with pleasure.

"The muffins to cook and then we can drop them off before we go," Edward said, showing all his white teeth cheekily.

It seemed moments had gone by before we arrived at the trailhead of the Ozette Triangle Trail. We had taken Highway 101 north to 113 then the 112 toward Cape Flattery. The longest stretch was along the Hoko-Ozette Road during which we played the alphabet game of "My name is Alice and I eat avacados when I am in Afganistan. My name is Bella and I eat buffalo when I am in Bella Coola." You might know it. I laughed at Edward's "My name is Emmett and I eat eggplant in Eritrea."

Edward had already picked up the park pass, which was available since there were many cancellations due to the poor weather. The parking lot had only a couple of vechiles parked close to the ranger's cabin.

The trail starts on the shores of the remote Lake Ozette, a large fresh water lake. The well trodden and tended five kilometer trail is cedar-planked from the north shore of Lake Ozette to the beach. The signage at the trail head stated that this lake is the third largest, with surface area over 29.5 square kilometers, in Washington State and contains sockeye salmon in it's depths of over 100 meters. We immediately had a choice: to follow the westward boardwalk to Cape Alava or the head south west to Sand Point. Since we were completing the fifteen km loop today, we headed off on the Cape Alava Trail. I noticed that most people must camp partway along the triangular loop since there were several tent symbols marked on the sign.

I was able to walk through some parts the Red cedar forest and enjoyed looking at all the plants, but Edward still carried me a great deal, which we both liked. And I could ask my knowledgeable trail mate what the plants were.

"Those are deer ferns and those there sword ferns, remember we saw those earlier this summer."

"Right, I remember," I said.

"This plant is called Siberian miner's lettuce tastes like sort of like spinach, so I've read, here try it. It's still consumed in by some people as a pot herb," Edward said as he pick a leaf off a plant with a rosette shaped leave and small white flower.

I decided to try it. Yep, it tasted like spinach and needed seasoning.

"That over there is Oregon wood sorrel, it has three heart shaped leaf-lets that from each leaf and a white five petal flower on flowering stem."

"They are so cute."

"Cute?" Edward said poking me to make me laugh, which I did and he did. I love his laugh.

"The major of undergrowth is salal, which looks like someone has polished every leaf on the bush."

"Okay," I said, reminding myself that I had wanted to learn more about the plants.

Towering clumps of sword ferns line the elevated path once again making me feel small, insignificant. Edward pointed out the black bear and raccoon tracks in the mud near the marsh and the smelly skunk cabbage, with huge leaves that resemble enormous romaine lettuce. I didn't taste any of it even though Edward mentioned that is edible in the early spring when the shoots are young and tender. The bright yellow flowers look like lanterns in the wet gloom of the forest.

We continue the through lush maritime forest drenched in the drizzle that is infamously called sea mist. After about four kilometers the forest opened into large meadow, called Ahlstroms Prairie, an early homestead clearing that was disappearing due to the dense greenery that does well in this waterlogged environment. Edward helped me find the carnivorous sundew and then he caught a fly. We watched the fly get caught on the sticky hairs of a redlined leaf on the sundew. When the sticky hairs were touched the leaf folded to enclose the fly. Kind of like a Venus fly trap plant but smaller. Cool in a gross sort of way.

We eventually reached the cobble covered beach, Cape Alava, and noticed the signage that we were near a five hundred year old landslide that buried the two thousand year old Makah village of Ozette. Off shore to the north was Tskawayah Island which is part of the Ozette Indian Reservation. About two kilometer further north was the Ozette River.

We turned south toward the distant Sand Point and looked into the tidepools and under the rocks; Edward did carry me most of the 5 kilometers even though the beach hike was easy at low tide, it was over uneven rock shelves. And slippery. There were large beach logs and many boulders amongst the cobble and sandstone rocks.

The sea life on lower shoreline was amazing.

"It is a really low tide today, look at the different zones," Edward said as he pointed with his hand along the beach. I remember that Charlie was always consulting the tide tables before he went fishing since the range could be about three meters and there were two different high tides during each day.

"Edward, why are there different colors along the shore line?" I said intrigued about what he meant by different zones as we walk toward the ocean.

"Those are tidal zones areas where the sea water level changes with each tide cycle, which happen twice a day. You can see the barnacles form the highest line. That white line. They cling to whatever they can. They use a superglue to adhere themselves permanently to the rock."

"Amongst them are black whelks, snails that eat barnacles," Edward said continuing to describe the life on the beach. "Below that line you can also see some limpets, those with a half shell stuck to rocks. They eat sea algae, the green that covers most the rocks here, more like garden snails."

Edward helped me along the intertidal area when something underfoot went 'pop.'

"What did I just kill?" I said lifting my food only to see seaweed and rocks.

"Nothing, you just stepped on the air bladder of the brown algae called rockweed," Edward said, "Watch." He stepped on another one to make it pop. It made me think of bubble packing wrap.

As we got closer to the ocean waves, I would see small red and brown crabs that moved to hid in nooks and crannies among mussels. I know those creatures at least. The mussels beds were dense and darkly colored so some of the crabs were easy to see. A funny bird with a brilliant orange beak and pinkish legs and feet was walking along the shellfish beds. My memory drew up the name oystercatcher before I got distracted by something right beside my foot.

"Look! That crab has enormous claws for such a small creature," I said with surprise.

Edward said, "That's a porcelain crab, see it's really flat body." His face came close by mine.

"You are amazing to be with, Edward," I said surprising him with kiss across his cheek to his lips.

He hands streaked to my hips then my back into my hair to grip and the friendly kiss changed from a coy brush and nibble to a wild war of lips. I pressed my body against Edward, just in time to get covered in a shower from some particularly large waves crashing on the beach. The water was cold.

We continued along the beach to the three-hundred-year-old petroglyphs at Wedding Rocks. Yes, I was wet, but happy. I spotted the dark gray rocks that were scored with figures and drawings at beach level near a large outcropping. Because the water level was low there were a lot of petroglyphs to see.

"Edward! Look!" I said pointing at an amazing collection of whales and moons that had been carved into the rocks. Edward came over and caught a loose strand of my hair and tucked it behind my ear. Then he nibbled on my ear like I was something to eat. A shiver went down my back that had nothing to do with being wet and cold. I felt warmer, flushed. "Where do I look?" he said exhaling into my ear. I just leaned back and closed my eyes.

"Are you okay?" Edward said with sudden concern, and then noticed that I was smiling and wrapped his arms around me.

When I finally opened my eyes I was surprised at the tender look in his eyes and pleased to see his skin glitter and sparkle in the sun. I leaned in delighted by the sight giving Edward a gleaming smile. He leaned in toward me sending the butterflies in my stomach into an excited line dance. As I leaned into him, my eyes were wide open hoping to spot any big waves coming into the beach. Edward noticed and just gave me a little peck and a full fledged smile.

"Those carvings might indicate whale hunting. Did you see the sailing vessel?" he asked rubbing my wet arms. I nodded with a shiver.

"I think the age of the carvings is based on the sailing ship, some of which were on the coast here in the 1700's," Edward said as we headed back up the beach.

It felt difficult to leave this spot, maybe it was seeing Edward share my excitement about the amazing carvings in the rocks or just the peacefulness of the surf hitting the beach. We saw the markers that indicated the return trail that completed the Ozette Triangle Loop. Instead Edward carried me up the small head of Sand Point. We saw a spectacular stretch of sandy beach that extend south from here.

"Maybe we can linger on this sandy section of the beach for a bit?" Edward suggested.

I nodded again and gave Edward a friendly wiggle toward the sand quickly found myself seated beside him on a log looking out to sea. He held my hand as we talked and watched the seals swim and dive long the surface as the waves coming into shore. One appeared to be body surfing for fun, but maybe that's just my imagination. Unfortunately the sun was not out long enough to completely dry my clothes and Edward insisted we head back. I was ready to go this time.

On the way back Edward pointed out a cougar track in the mud near the beach. It was a huge feline paw that about 10 centimeters long. I looked warily around until Edward nudged me gentle saying that the print was several days old and that it would have scented us a long time ago any way. Not to mention how noisy we were earlier.

We have been talking endlessly as there didn't seem to be enough time in the world to share everything we wanted. Edward had so many stories that he told me about where he lived and things he did, and we debated the merit of novels and their movie versions. I am convinced that books are better overall. The last leg of this triangular shaped loop returned to Lake Ozette along another 5 km-long boardwalk trail intersected with sets of stairs. Edward carried me up the stairs and helped me walk a little along the board walk which kept us out of the expansive cedar bog. The dense canopy of stately Sitka spruce gave way to a thick grove of salal and other shrubs. The sound of the surf slowly faded in the distance.

Just before we arrived at the Ranger Cabin and the car, Edward spotted a banana slug before he stepped on it and put me down so I could see it. It was huge at 18 centimeters long with a pale yellowish green body. Its tentacles were still sticking out until it sensed me and pulled them in. The mucus trail showed that it was crossing the trail to get to the other side.

"I wonder why the slug wants to get to the other side?" I said with jokingly.

Edward just looked at me with raised eye brows and said, "Maybe he wanted to find a shell station."

I laughed.

"Did you know that most slugs are hermaphrodites?" Edward said after a bit.

"No," I replied, "Although that makes sense that they would be both male and female. We haven't seen that many around here so they would have take advantage of each other when they meet."

Edward put me down to unlock and open the car door. I gratefully sat in the seat as he went around the car slowly.

"Thank you for getting to me out here, Edward. This was a lot of fun," I said.

He leaned toward me which a quick peck and said, "You are most welcome, Bella, would you like to come over for dinner with my family?"

"Sure, I'll called Charlie when we get there." And then we headed for home.


	7. Chapter 7

Summer Explorations of the Olympic Mountains by Sanguineblood

**Author's Note**: This story is written in a colloquial, first person point of view, so you, as a reader can feel like Bella, and hear her thoughts. And I'm mostly metric Canadian.

**Disclaimer**: Everything and anything related to the _Twilight _saga belong to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

Chapter 6 Swimming at the Olympic Hot Springs by sanguine blood

I called Charlie and left a message that I was at the Cullen's for the evening. Dinner for me was cheese covered nacho chips with avocado and salsa during which we played apples to apples. I nearly choked several times because I was laughing so hard. Once was for the word 'classic' and the options were Berlin 1945, Custer's Last Stand, Graffiti and Elizabeth Taylor. It was a difficult choice for Emmett to make but graffiti got the apple.

After dinner we watched The World is Not Enough, which Emmett howled with laughter at the puny Bond ending. Edward and Jasper immediately joined in. Luckily that took the focus off of me for a while, until Alice asked about my cast.

I said, "My cast was coming in off in less than a week!"

Everyone but Rosalie looked contrite I guess I'm not the only one who's feeling uncomfortable about why my leg is in a cast.

"I'll drive you to the hospital," Alice said with a smile, that left me wondering about her offer yet I agreed.

The next week was typical of our Pacific Northwest rain forest. An unusual storm front passed through the area toppling trees on to road and disrupting electrical lines. I spent time reading and baking muffins, counting down the days until my body was free of this cumbersome and awkward hindrance. Edward and Alice came over to hang out with me as I had come to depend on those two. My boyfriend and best friend.

I read the _Scarlet Letter_ by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It left me feeling contemplative about human nature, especially in world that seems fraught with illness and disease. How much is brought on ourselves by our own thoughts? And where do vampires fit into this?

And before I knew it Alice and I were off to the hospital for my leg to be free again, I hoped.

The procedure took a couple of hours and I was informed that my bones had healed without complications and other than some muscle lethargy I was considered healthy and free! After we left the hospital Alice had booked me a complete spa treatment including a body wax followed by a massage by a physiotherapist. I was shown several muscle flexibility and strengthening movements including the Alphabet Exercise. Alice and I looked at each other and laughed at that one. All I need to do is draw the letters of the alphabet in the air with my feet.

We returned late from the hospital and Alice dropped me off without a word. Charlie greeted me at the door, and knowing better than to offer me a hand, allowed me to wobble in and rest during our pizza dinner and ball game.

I slept solidly that night and woke alone to another gray overcast day. My muffin making period was over and I was to start at Newton's in a couple of days, but I was up early by habit.

The door bell rang. Not expecting anyone right after my dad left, I pulled open the door cautiously. Alice bounced in. "Where is your swim suit, Bella? We need go."

I must have looked confused as Alice pushed a large bag into my hands, "Choose one and leave it on, quickly, we're going swimming. Edward said he'll meet you there!"

I when into the bathroom and opened the bag to discover various scraps of fabric in pink, blue and green. Alice and her amazing style. The blue two piece fit the best and over it went my clothes. Alice's bright orange bikini top was showing through her light yellow chemise.

"This day is going to be so excellent," Alice said, as the down pour proceeded to drench both of them, "It will keep the other hikers away."

"I can't hike, you guys know that, especially in this," I exclaimed, looking up at the gray wet sky.

"The trail is nearly paved and its only a couple of short kilometers, we can nearly drive there," Alice confided. "That's why we chose this spot."

In moments, she turned off Highway 101 and onto the Olympic Hot Spring Road that parallels Elwah River and the next few kilometers breezed by fast that I barely notice the distance. Driving at her typical speed we flew passed Mills Lake. Shortly thereafter we parked at the trail head all while the down pour continued. Alice graciously scoped me out of the car.

"The rain will let up in a few moments before we arrive at the hot springs," Alice said.

With the sun shining and steaming up the ground, we crossed the first log bridge without trouble. Then Edward appeared dressed only in board shorts.

"Hello, Bella," he said. "You are looking well."

It had only been a day since I'd last saw him as he had been off hunting while Alice took me to the hospital yet when I saw him I just stared. Maybe it is the way he walks or the relaxed expression on his face. Maybe it was the way his hair still stood up right in places that resisted the wet rainfall. Maybe it was the way his skin sparkled in the sun. Then our eyes met. And he kissed me. I could get used to this as my arms went around his warm body.

"Hi Edward," I said. "I'm feeling free. And I must be a lot less heavy now."

Edward raised his eye brows and then he eased me on his back.

"Yes, you are feather weight, Bella," he said with a grin and we traveled slowly along the trail across the Boulder Creek Bridge. The sun was quickly drying out the lush moss and ferns along the trailhead. In a couple of place the steam could be seen rising off the Western red cedar and intermittently Douglas fir. The cedar trees has the uneven growth in their trunks compared to these fir trees.

"Edward this area has been logged, right?" I said as I looked around.

"That's right, there also used to be a resort of sorts here but most of those buildings are gone. Have you seen any old tree stumps left behind by the logging activity?" Edward said using his head to get my attention to one that he noticed. It was not easy to spot as the stump had another tree growing over it and was covered in moss.

Emmett was submerged while Rosalie lounged in her runway swim wear when we arrived. Jasper quickly took Alice, who had gone ahead, to one of the many pools, while Edward lead me to the one closest to the trail.

"You should get the use to this temperature before you try the other six as this is one of the coolest, Bella" he said.

I shivered as I undressed to my blue bikini and moved toward the streaming water, "Okay, this seems hot enough right now. How long have you been here?"

"A couple hours, it's a great place to come when the weather been cold and rainy and we know no one else is here."

"I can see why. This is fabulous. And it's great to have my leg out of that cast finally."

Edward frowned guilty then smirked, "Now it's easy to tickle you too!"

His hands felt warm in the water as they gentle took mine to guide me into the hot water. My eyes did not leave his golden ones as I walked forward. They couldn't. It was like I was mesmerized by the irresistible orbs and the arousing touch. And the water was so warm and comforting. Soothing. Trusting. My insides clenched as his touch continued, traced along my forearm to my elbow, with gentle stokes and stabilized me a bit then moved toward my shoulders. I ought to be used to this sensation after this summer. My eyes moved toward his mouth and I licked my lips in anticipation. Then I made a fatal move and slipped, submerged, completely underwater.

As I tried to find my footing on the slimy slippery bottom, I felt his hand on mine and pulling me up. If I opened my eyes I probably would have seen his, underwater watching over me carefully. But I couldn't open my eyes in this warm water, even though I knew the water flowed through the pool and was clean, it would be like recognizing that I was so in love yet faint hearted and fearful that I could not make it work. I wasn't worthy.

My head popped up quickly and I inhaled against Edward hard sculptured body, if I wasn't so warm from the shock of the hot water, my face would have been more flushed than normal. So much for grace and presence while I seductively lowered myself into the steaming water.

I let go of his hand and gently pushed away to drift, still feeling Edward's light touch, and relaxed in the warm water. I opened my eyes and found myself looking directly into Edward's eyes. He gave me an engaging grin. Did he have to be so beautiful? I asked myself. Is he really mine? I wondered.

"Have you caught you breath yet?" Edward said.

I looked at him with surprise then my smile filled my face. I said, "Oh yes, I always enter the water like that, it takes away from the initial shock."

I let my arms float lazily. "This is so soothing, exactly what I needed, despite the rain."

"Hot pools are always more mysterious and alluring when it's wet and steamy," Edward said.

"I can feel it's magic working on my leg already."

"Let me help too." Edward reached down and gentle took my foot into his hands and softly rolled his fingers and palm around it and up my calf.

I went under again, although this time I was ready to gulp a breath as I'd known my other leg would turn to rubber when he touched me. And I now knew the water is quite shallow only a couple feet deep.

"Opps." Edward was smiling when I surfaced in front of him and I splashed the warm water at him.

"Oh ya." I laughed back, "You knew that would happen."

He reached out and took my shoulders to pull me toward him and my hand when up his back, skimming up the warm wet skin. My lips meet his with gusty and my legs, with a mind of their own wrapped around his. I ran the tip of my tongue along his lips only to be denied with a gentle rebuff.

"I think you are hot enough to try the next pool," Edward said, as he pulled away.

"Humm," I said, as it was all I could manage with the cool rejection, does my breath smell bad?

I slowly think about moving to the next pool, to follow Edward, when a thought crosses my mind.

"Aren't these pools closed because they are considered unsanitary," I said, before I remember that Alice had already told me that the water flows through the pools and it's only the presence of contaminants, like people, that would pollute the waters.

I looked over to Alice. "I just remembered you told me all about that," I said stupidly.

"It's okay, I know your brain turns off when you are around Edward," she said back at me, only slightly joking.

The next two pools were each slightly warmer for me and the other two were way too hot. This didn't seem to bother the others at all and seem to give them more energy. Even Rosalie was in and out of the shallow pools horsing around.

I looked around the series of pools, the lush green of the forest, the slight sulfur smell and the sound of waterfalls and let my body float. Delightful, relaxing, peaceful and a light weight leg. I felt like I found tranquility.

"How far away are they?" I heard Edward ask in a quiet voice.

"Then we must leave now," Edward lower himself into the water and he touched my lower back gently to pulled me toward him. "Bella, we must leave right away."

I shook my head to get the water out of my ears. "What's wrong?"

"There is something coming that Alice can't see but it makes her uneasy, so we are leaving," Edward replied, lifting me to my feet.

"Here let me help you get your balance and your clothes."

We quickly dressed and then Edward said, "Hop on me, Bella, quickly, there are moving faster than Alice first thought. Alice and Jasper will circle back to the car and we'll run home."

I jumped up then looked back down past the steaming pools wondering what mysterious thing was coming that we needed to exit so rapidly. Something that Alice couldn't see.

"Hang on, Bella, I'm leaving fast," Edward said. All I saw for the longest time was just a blur of green.

Finally, we paused at a small alpine lake and Edward placed me on the ground near some small alpine fir trees. I know this because the trees had a distinctive long and narrow top section and often lose their lower branches. Their seed cones are a distinctive purple color while the pollen cones are blue-green in color.

I sorted out my clothes better while I looked around I saw Edward had already climbed the up a mountain, so I said that I want to see too. Even though I just spoke the words Edward heard me and was soon by my side again.

"You want to see the view too?" Edward said.

I looked at him and held out my arms. He scoped me up and before I know it we were on the mountain top. Will I be as fast when I am a vampire?

"What's this place called, Edward?" I said as I looked out over mountain tops, some that appear higher than ours still.

"It's Boulder Peak, most of the water that forms Boulder Creek, that's near the hot pools, starts as snow melt from this Peak."

"This is not a lot of snow right now," I said realizing that mid-summer sunshine would have melted it all away, even though some of the surrounding areas still had snow.

"Do you know the mountain peaks around here?" I said point at the closest one.

"That is Mount Appleton and further past it is Mount Olympus," Edward said as he moved my hand a little bit left. I leaned toward him, kind of like a magnet. Edward's arms reach around me.

"I'd like to take you there later is summer, to Mount Olympus, if you'd like. It is a popular hike and considered a beginners hike even though it takes a few days to reach it."

I just nodded my head knowing full well that I would not have to do much actually walking and that I would find the knowledge of the area useful while working at Newton's Outdoor Store. Anyway, anywhere that Edward wanted to take me was good for me. I've come to depend on him a great deal.

"Okay, Alice called ahead to let Charlie know that you staying over because we have a long distance to travel before we get home. And there is something else I want to show you, are you up for that or do you just want to get home?"

I looked at Edward in wonder, still amazed that he could communicate with Alice telepathically. "What was coming at the hot springs at Alice couldn't see?"

"We'll have to find out when we get home," Edward replied as I climbed on to his back.

We traveled for what felt like a short time, when Edward paused, then continued on more slowly.

I could hear a waterfall.


	8. Chapter 8

Summer Explorations of the Olympic Mountains by Sanguineblood

**Author's Note**: This story is written in a colloquial, first person point of view, so you, as a reader can feel like Bella, and hear her thoughts. And I'm mostly metric Canadian.

**Disclaimer**: Everything and anything related to the _Twilight _saga belong to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

Chapter 7 Mount Olympus by Sanguine blood

The sound was faint but enticing. The steady rhythm, bubbling and rumbling, endless.

"Edward, can we go investigate the sound of the water fall?" I said as my curiosity was keen.

"Sure, I don't hear anyone there. Maybe the earlier rainfall has kept people away." Edward said as we moved toward the bubbling sound.

"We are close to the Sol Duc waterfall which is an endpoint for one of the trails from the Sol Duc Hotspring Resort," Edward said continuing to move us slowly toward the waterfall. The sounds were louder, the steady thundering and crashing of water moving rapidly.

"The Sol Duc River water is not from the same area as the hotsprings we were just at, if you want to know. The hotsprings there are formed from seepages of water that have entered in the Calawah fault zone, a major strike-slip fault of the Olympic Mountains. The river water is mostly from snow melt and run off."

"Were you guessing that I thought the river would be warm enough to shower in?" I said in disbelief, as I was just thinking of that that. Can Edward read my mind now?

"Just a guess. I still can't hear your thoughts unfortunately," Edward said as he twisted his head around for a quick kiss. "I can't hear or smell any one at the water fall at the moment either."

"This is just a brief detour as we still have a long way to go to get home," Edward turned back and lowered me to the fern covered mountain side.

"I'll help you walk from here," he offered and took my hand.

While I enjoy riding on Edward's back it felt good, comfortable holding hands. Normal.

I was a little confused, "So, let me see if I understand you, the river water is run off from snow melt while the hot water of the hot springs is water that has seeped into the ground far enough to get warmed by the earth and then rises to the surface though the broken rocks of the fault zone. Is that right?"

"Yes, that's what I said," Edward said.

"That's what he said," I parroted back with a grin.

We'd arrived at the wood chip and gravel trail and followed it to the rustic wooden bridge over the river. The Sol Duc Waterfall consists of three cascading waterfalls that fall down an 8 meter drop into a narrow gorge and another 4 meter plunge into a pool. It was beautiful and when a sun beam came though the clouds and forest canopy a small rainbow formed in the spray of the falling water. Stunning.

Although the route, from the road that passes the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, is only about a kilometer, we did have the place to ourselves. I guess everyone was keeping warm, but not dry, at the hotspring resort.

Edward suddenly dropped my hand and jump over the bridge hand rail. I thought he was jumping into the gorge. He didn't.

He land on the other side of the cliff and grabbed something. And then he was back beside me, vampire speed, holding it in his hand. A garter snake.

It was small with white strips along the sides of its checkered brown body. Kind of cute but definitely not happy being held in cold hands as it kept coiling and uncoiling its body trying to find a way to get away. I stared at it for a while then reached my finger out to touch it. It felt dry yet smooth and satiny. I then made a face at Edward who released the little snake to the ground. It was gone in seconds.

"I read this somewhere that garter snakes were named after the garter that men used to hold their socks up," I said raising my eye brows in question at Edward.

"That's right, before the mass production of clothing and elastic material in socks, men used heavy fabric or leather garters to help hold up socks or sleeves of shirts. Particularly those men who did not have a tailor to custom fit their clothes," Edward said.

I looked down at the waterfall again, the clear sparkling water falls. Listening. Watching. Relaxing. Edward reached around me with a huge hug, and just held me. Complete.

"While I hate to leave this spot, there are some people on their way here now, so we should go," Edward said softly into my ear.

I shivered not from cold and nodded my head. We turned and I climbed on Edward's back and we disappeared to the sword and deer ferns.

After a few moments Edward stopped at a particularly large tree trunk and told me to hang on tight. Then we climbed straight up the large fir tree. Near the top he stopped and let me off on to a very large branch. I could see the ocean in the distance as the wind blew lightly through my hair.

"Wow, this is spectacular!" I said looking around at the tops of the nearby hemlocks, firs and lower down the maple trees. The scenery took my breath away. This is what it must be like to be in a helicopter. Or maybe like being in a small plane.

"How high are we?" I said as I looked down my feet and swayed a little.

Edward had a firm arm wrapped around my waist and steadied me.

"I couldn't resist, Bella, this tree is about 50 meters and not the tallest here," Edward said with a cheekily grin. "Are you alright with the height?"

I couldn't resist his grin, "Of course, just don't let go of me, okay?"

We stayed up there a little longer and then headed to the Cullen's house. No one else was there when we arrived and, when Edward left me for a moment on the couch, I fell asleep.

When I woke a little groggy to discover the rest of gang was there. They were discussing the trip to the Mount Olympus. Since I started work the next day, and Alice already knew my schedule for the next month, they were making plans to head up in five days.

Even though it is the middle of the summer, at 2428 meters Mount Olympus will still have a lot of snow. So everyone wanted to come with Edward and I. Think snow ball fights sliding around and more. This isolated highest peak of the Olympic Mountains, Mount Olympus is a popular area for hiking and has one main trail for access. This might be a challenge for fast moving vampires, since Edward wanted to make sure I'd see the trail not just travel there fast.

My week at work was good. Mike did follow me around a bit, which was annoying. But the store had a steady stream of customers and he was often at the cash register dealing with purchases, while I pretended to know where things were found in the store. This gave me a chance to learn that many hikers were headed to Mount Olympus, since the main trail access is close to Forks, and most were more than willing to talk about the hike to me.

The trail head is accessed by driving to the Hoh River Visitor's Center south of Forks and you must have a wilderness permit as well as a National Park permit. The worst part of the hike, apparently, is the trail, about 30 kilometers on relatively flat terrain since it follows the valley carved by the Hoh River. I already knew that we are in one of the wettest places so for this hike it's smart to plan for rain. On top of that there will be snow and ice to traverse and a decent rock wall to climb. I didn't want to know anymore. Really I just recovered from a broken leg and I'm not that coordinated to begin with.

Alice invited me over the evening before were going to leave for Mount Olympus. Although we planned to be back in a day I told Charlie I'd be at the Cullen's for the weekend and that yes their parents were home. Knowing the speeds that vampires can travel and that at least one group I spoke with, during the week, hoped to bagged the mountain in less than a day, I thought our trip would go well.

We left early the next morning, Edward and I drove the Volvo to the Hoh River Forest Visitor's Center with the all the permits while the others were going to meet us about ten kilometers along the trail. Alice wanted to drive with us for the whole experience but couldn't see how Jasper would do being confined in the car with me. Even though he was getting used to my smell.

Edward and I walked the initial kilometers with me gawking at the towering giant cedars and Sitka spruce. These trees must be so old. I was used to the forests around Forks, most which have been logged a second or third time. This was nothing like that. The trees provided a thick canopy overhead that I almost forgot it was raining. The lush green areas under the trees were thick with many different ferns and salal. And the soothing rushing sound of the river was a great addition as we leisurely strolled along.

Edward finally nudged me out of my dream of the thousands of shades of green just before I tripped on an exposed root. "What are you thinking about?" Edward said.

"I am amazed at the beautiful green colors, I honestly didn't think there were so many shades of green. I love it." I love it because Edward is here to share it with me. Could I say that aloud?

"Okay then, lets name them," Edward said. "That there is fern green," he said pointing to a fern.

I laughed. "That green is forest green," I said point vaguely at the area around us.

Edward chuckled, "I see sap green on that tree there to the right."

"Over there is spring green, see how bright it is."

"Emerald is the color of the green leaves on the salal."

"Vert, Lime, Jade, Celadon, chartruse."

"Army green, camouflage green, kelly green, sea green."

"Myrtle, teal, olive, jungle green."

"Asparagus, avocado, pear, and harlequin."

"Feldqrau, shamrock green, tea green, Brunswick green"

"Can you think of anymore?" I asked still laughing at our silliness.

"Paris green, India green, hunter green, British racing green, Dartmouth green, and midnight green," Edward replied with a smug look.

"Darmouth green?" I said with raised eye brows.

Edward smirked back at me. "Yes," he said, as he lifted his jacket away to show me his green shirt with Dartmouth written on it.

"Oh man," I said and gave him push when I really wanted to reach out and run my hands over his chest. "So, smart alec, why are so many plants so many shades of green?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?" Edward said.

"Yes, don't you know?" I said with teasing look.

"Because the green color in plants is due to the presence of chlorophyll in the chloroplasts of the cells. The chlorophyll absorbs light mostly in the blue color spectrum and, for some, in the red spectrum. This means that various shades of green are reflected back and that's what we see."

I leaned over a met his glorious sulky mouth with my own. "You are so smart." As we continued on the trail we saw and heard evidence of small organisms. The slime trail left behind by a banana slug and the noise of something hard knocking against wood, probably a woodpecker. We didn't see any animals though.

Before I knew it, Emmett, Rosalie, Alice and Jasper were walking with us. The forest was filled with dripping green trees and moss but somehow it seems sunny with the banter going on between us all. The rain continued intermittently throughout the day, enough to test my new Gortex all weather jacket.

"This is no one ahead of us for a while, shall we run?" Alice said as she looked and offered me a piggy back ride. I shrugged affirmation, knowing that I was holding all of them back and hopped on.

Edward ran beside us as we passed a couple of empty wilderness camping areas. We didn't see anyone else, although the trail had appeared to be well trodden this summer. The forest began to change from the lush coastal rain forest to temperate forest with more hemlock and Douglas fir as the trail steepened. Western hemlock were more common than the Red Cedar when we started out. I guessed we were close to the base camp, Glacier Meadows, even though we were still in the forest and couldn't really see up the mountain. I did seen small patches of snow in the forest.

Shortly after we passed the lake I saw a couple of tents, and Alice lowered me off her back. We walk though the Glacier Meadows tent city, it was deserted. Everyone who camped here was heading to the summit of Mount Olympus.

Realizing this I was handed a vest for under my jacket, gators and my boots to put on. And out came the gear for everyone else too, even though they didn't really need it. We figured we should have the extra great for walking on the glacier, warmer jackets and gators as well as boots and crampons. Emmett even brought a few ropes some that he passed to Rosalie and Jasper who put them over their shoulder easily and both looked comfortably.

"Bella, you will climb between Alice and I," Edward said. "As you remember we first need to cross the Blue Glacier before we head to the Snow dome to we reach the Five Fingers and the true summit West Peak."

I remember hearing from one of the hikers that Mount Olympus has about six glaciers due to the large winter snowfalls and the largest one, the Blue Glacier, is the one we need to traverse to reach the summit. The Snow Dome is considered the origin of the glaciers which are named Hoh, Humes, Hubert, White and Jeffers. Although the Blue Glacier is the largest, Hoh is the longest at nearly 5 km.

"Okay," I said trying to look confident as I was about to do a lot of things that I'd never done before: climb a glacier, scale a rock face and see the world from the top of a mountain.

Emmett decided to be our tour guide and intoned in a made for television voice, "We walked toward the lateral moraine of the blue glacier from the base camp at Glacier Meadows. We anticipate that this will be a straightforward glacier climb with moderate crevasse danger. We've got ropes, crampons, and we know how to use them."

I had to laugh while Jasper hummed the tune from mission impossible. And then the first snowball beaned him on the head.

"Hey," Jasper said, "I was just adding atmosphere to your silly dialogue."

Another snowball just missed him.

"The moraine consisted of debris and rocks of various sizes that formed a ridge on the side of the Blue Glacier. Since the rock has been frozen and thawed several times it becomes brittle and breaks in sharp pieces called scree," Emmett intoned and gestured as through there was a camera to follow his action. What a ham.

The view up the mountain was awesome and a little scary for me but Edward took my hand and we started walk over the moraine. It was rough going with melt water, broken ice and debris from the melting glacier. Since no one was there to observe us, Edward packed me quickly over most of this part. Serious I was under his arm this time not on his back, I was going to slug him for doing that to me but I remembered how much that hurts me.

We soon reached the glacier and I found a staircase like route up the side of it, or may be Jasper and Emmett made it for me, these guys are crazy fast and strong. I stopped at one point and looking back realized that I was right as Edward was carefully breaking the snow stairs up to blend them back into the glacier.

We reached the summit rather easily considering that there were a least three other hiking parties leading the way. Their foot path showed Emmett and Rosalie where the best places for our party to walk. This made cross the snow bridges and avoiding crevasses easier. The view on the West Peak was incredible. Since I am being to feel like I know the area, I pointed out Seattle and the Coast Mountains to Edward. And the Strait of Juan de Fuca which could be seen beside Mount Carrie to the north, with the Blue Glacier underfoot.

Edward was watching me.

"This is stunning. I am on top of the world," I said with a huge smile. "The only thing that would make it better is a bit of sun."

Edward nodded, and mirror me, in agreement as his arm slipped around my waist and lowered his face toward mine. My own bit of sun.

We hung out there until all of the other people headed back. It was amazing, even with the high overcast day. Emmett managed to hit Edward with one snowball and proceeded to laugh his way over the edge. He was still laughing when he landed in the snowbank. The rest of us had too as well. Rosalie jumped down to join him.

Alice said, "Edward, could you and Bella head back on our own? That way Jasper and I could hike back to get the car."

I liked that idea, kinda hoping that Edward would take me up to a tree again. And I nodded my head at Edward.

"That's great of you Alice," Edward said with a broad grin which took Alice by surprise too. Something also passed between them.

Edward's route home lead us to our meadow. It was spectacular even in late summer. The spring flowers were gone replaced by a colorful display of pink bleeding hearts, wild roses and another plant I didn't recognize.

"Edward, wow, I didn't know you were thinking of our meadow," I said with happiness I love this place. It has such good memories. "It is such a treat to come here."

"You are welcome Bella," Edward replied holding on to my fingers as we walked toward the center of the meadow and sat down.

"I can't believe all the wildflowers in bloom. This meadow is pretty unique, Edward," I said looking around a picking the flower that I don't recognize.

"That's a native orchid, called fairy slippers. See how the top of the plant makes the covering for toes." Edward pointed at the small purple flower with a white lip. It was gorgeous.

"It's presence here indicates that this meadow is not disturbed often otherwise the plant would not survive."

What a spectacular place to rest after climbing Mount Olympus.


	9. Chapter 9

Summer Explorations of the Olympic Mountains by Sanguineblood

**Author's Note**: This story is written in a colloquial, first person point of view, so you, as a reader can feel like Bella, and hear her thoughts. And I'm mostly metric Canadian.

**Disclaimer**: Everything and anything related to the _Twilight _saga belong to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

Chapter 8 Lake of Angels

"Bella, we've got to go here," Edward said as he walked through the door. I was just getting breakfast before heading to work at the Newton's but I can tell you that the new knowledge I have my region, the Washington State's Olympic Mountains, has been helpful in dealing with customers.

"Where?" I said turning just enough to see that Edward was carrying a map.

"The Valley of Heaven," Edward replied.

I immediately thought of some place that would be the valley of heaven for me and blushed. I figured Edward meant something else, as he doesn't seem to want to touch me that way, and glancing at Edward and noticed that he looked so happy and enthusiastic. I felt like the wind was knocked out of me. Just that smile could have my heart pounding, and the butterflies going crazy in my stomach.

He continued saying, "Because the trail is very difficult, apparently. Hardly any people hike and climb there." He looked up with a grin.

"What did you do? Look for the most technically challenging place to hike in the Olympics?" I said with a laugh.

"Well, yes," Edward replied as he rubbed his knuckles along the side of my face and gave me a hug.

"Hmmm," was my stunned reply. Have I really gotten to know Edward that I can predict how he looks for things? Maybe I have and grinned to myself as I refrained from touching my face along Edward's caress.

"What's the big smile for?" Edward said as he looked down at me.

"Oh, just a funny thought," I said, "I was surprised that I could guess what you wanted to do, that's all."

"Okay, the Valley of Heaven is a high alpine cirque, meaning kinda bowl shaped, at 1521.2 meters between Mount Skokomish and Mount Stone, in case you want to sound like you know what you're talking about to your customers," Edward said with a wide smile referring to the customers at Newton's Outdoor Store.

"And it doesn't necessarily require climbing gear despite," I said wanted to make it clear that I had done some reading on the subject, "with some brutally steep slopes, terraced ledges and polished rock faces." And I stuck my tongue out at him. After all I do read more than just the classics these days. That's just one of the many things my new friends, the Cullens, have helped me with.

Edward laughed and said, "And don't forget the residents, Olympic marmots, single males with harems as large as three females."

I looked at him and blushed and said, "And all we'll see is a glimpse of brown fur right after a piercing whistle that will alert all the others of intruders."

"So, I'll pick you up after work, you're done at two, right?"

"Right. Thanks, Edward," I said, "Now we better get going."

I left my hiking boots and rain gear in the Volvo since Edward and I would drive around to Hamma Hamma and leave the car at the Lena Creek parking area. And even though I also knew he'd carry me a good part of the way. A fringe benefit of dating a vampire. Did I actually think that? Edward and I were dating! And I am beginning to feel like he won't leave me, despite that fact that I don't deserve someone who's so good looking.

Work flew by helped by the earlier shift and my excitement on going on another trip with Edward. And luckily, today was Mike's day off so I didn't have him pestering me all morning either.

It was quick two hour trip to the Forest Service Road #24 near Hoodsport, which is in the Hood Canal area, kinda southwest of Seattle. Since I've gotten somewhat used to Edward's driving speed I don't look out the windows much. I'd half expected that it would have taken closer to four hours with about two more hours on the backroads. But not with Edward driving.

We drove another half an hour to get to the Putvin Trail #813 where Edward dropped me off while he drove the couple of miles back to park the car. Knowing Edward would be along in moments, I entertained myself by walking along the Hamma Hamma River and then a short way up the trail to find Carl's burial site and signage.

The namesake for the trail, Carl and Ada Putvin and their son lived in a cabin at a meadow along the trail. They lived off the land as trappers and were considered earlier explorers and pioneers of the area. Carl's demise was the result of freezing. Apparently his family found him sitting by the trail with the supplies that he had gone to acquire. Since they could not carry him out he was buried here. The historical marker indicated that he was nearly twenty-one years of age in January of 1913. I wonder if his family stayed here after that or if they moved elsewhere.

Edward arrived looking fresh and handsome in his climbing clothes and took my hand in greeting. He quickly read the sign I was standing beside.

"The Putvins' must have been a hardy family if everything we've read about this trail is right. It is supposed to be very steep and rough." Edward said.

I glanced at him and said, "I kinda wonder where the family moved to after that. At least I would guess they moved somewhere else. Can you imagine living here after that. What would it be like?"

Edward just stared at me for a moment and quietly said, "I know what it was like."

I just laughed and said, "Okay then, tell me about it. I know you were in Chicago. Did you learn about the Wild West in school or did you travel out here later?"

Edward had to laugh back at me. "From school, my family did not travel West and I did not come out this way with Carlisle until the Thirties."

We had started up the trail which was an old logging road with Douglas-Fir and western hemlock providing some of the forest cover. The steep terrain prevented this area from being completely logged so I hoped we might see a different forest that on the western side of the mountains. This first section was easy, so Edward told a bit about what he knew of this area at the turn of the century. The next couple of kilometers parallel with Boulder Creek, then cut west, crossing, that is wading through, two streams before emerging onto an old moss-covered road.

"In the late eighteen hundreds, Puget Sound was becoming populated with pioneers travelling north to Alaska for the gold rush. Many stopped along earning money by suppling Californians with timber and fish. While there was a new railway, most roads were like this trail, rough and difficult to travel."

"The stories I heard in school were about the difficult conditions, the limited food and the hostility of the natives. I wasn't interested in it much."

Past the road crossing, we reached first of many switch backs. Now the trail headed pretty much right up the side of Mt. Stone. Needless to say when we were the only ones on the trail Edward piggy backed me. Oh the benefits. The path tracks relentlessly up. And up. Edward was quick, despite the terrain, as he climbed through clouds and fog to the lower Whitehorse Basin, where we met a downward day hiker.

Since most people leave earlier in the day to make the ascent, we stopped to say a brief hello and viewed the scenery. To the south I could see Mt Pershing with it's spires stretching skyward. I could make out the trees clinging to the granite mountain sides.

Further along the trail where an old avalanche occurred, the views were better. Mt. Cooper was visible to the left of Mt. Pershing. Edward carried me up the first headwall, an exposed rocky outcropping, he made the scramble seem straightforward and easy while I looked around. Mt. Rainier could be seen in the distance east and Mt. Stone was off in the north. Our destination was the east buttress of Mt. Skokomish which was more to the west. Okay I had time to do more reading and study the maps of the area since it was not busy at work.

Edward put me down on the next section of the trail as it was pretty easy going through the subalpine forest and meadows to a small lake. The Lake of the False Prophets was beautiful surrounded by summer flowers in a multitude of colors. Thickets of huckleberries and blueberries were around the boggy meadows of the lake. We continued into the clouds to reach the next headwall which was taller but not as steep as the first. Edward, with me as a monkey on his back, made short work of it. I really could get used to this type of hiking. Or maybe I could be the strong one too.

Then we were there. The Lake of the Angels is in a picturesque alpine meadow. Mt Stone was to the northeast and Mt. Skokomish was to the west. A small creek, Whitehorse Creek drains to the northwest. With late summer upon us, the snow pack was nearly melted and the lake was clear of ice. I was amazed at the beauty of the white avalanche lilies and other wild flowers. The bright red and purple colors scattered in the green leaves of the alpine vegetation.

As we walked along we noticed signs of other campers, although we had the place to ourselves this evening. There were also other trails leading up the east slope of Mt. Skokomish as well as in to the canyon to higher alpine areas.

Edward pulled me out of my reprieve staring at the alpine meadow and said, "What did you think of this trail, Bella? It did really have few relatively flat stretches."

I nodded in agreement and said "I so appreciated that I did not have to scramble or climb any of the headwalls. Thank you Edward."

"This place is a real treat and I can't believe this meadow, Lake of Angels in the Valley of Heaven, right?" I said.

"It is, that bright red flower is the common columbine commonly found in the subalpine and alpine zones. It's considered by indigenous people as a love potion plant. A woman could gain affection of her man using it." Edward laughed.

I picked up quite brazenly and gave it to Edward.

He stopped laughing and just looked at me. He knows how odd our relationship is.

He cleared his throat and said, "The potion was made by chewing the plant."

Now I took the flower away, took a bite, chewed it and then spat it out, "Yuck."

Then we both laughed and the unease disappeared. Our relationship, our connection, seems to be something together that defies the norm.

Edward pointed and said, "A trail leads along the western side of the lake and heads up toward the low point in the ridge between Mts. Stone and Skokomish, where there is a natural cairn formed by a multi-hundred pound rock on top of a much larger boulder, thus Cairn Pass."

I looked over to the ridge and saw what appeared to be fields of avalanche lilies in bloom either that or it was snow. A field of white flowers.

I could hear a raven caw and watched a hawk glide by. As the sunset the skies began to reveal the stars twinkling. Like Angels.

Edward handed me a sandwich (chicken fajita) and a bottle of water that he had not told me he'd brought. I had an apple and cheese stick on the drive here but suddenly I was starving.

"Wow Edward thank you! You are thoughtful," I said, unwrapping the sandwich wrapper and taking a bite.

"Yes, and I do get tired of listening to your stomach grumble," he said as he poked at me.

I wiggled away, laughing and sat down on a rock outcrop to eat. As I looked around I noticed a super cute red and white spotted mushroom.

Edward was watching me and said, "That's the fly agaric which looks to most people like the Alice in Wonderland mushroom."

"Can I eat it?" I said, not that would.

"Apparently, it's is intoxicating to many animals so I really don't recommend taking a bite," Edward said warily, "It is considered one of the oldest entheogens."

"Okay, I won't, wait, will it make me hallucinate?"

"Maybe, if it doesn't kill you. There is a very poisonous mushroom that looks similar to this one."

"Ok, I'll be leaving that mushroom alone."

"There is another trail that's heading up to the north from here. See."

I looked where Edward pointed noticing the narrow tread markings that crossed the talus slopes and heading up Great Stone Arrow pass to the north toward Mt Hopper and then east toward Mt Stone. The passage was named ingeniously St. Peters Gate.

Our options for wandering were limited by visibility: we neither could see St. Peter's Gate nor the heather slopes that mark the start of the sketchy way to the Great Stone Arrow and Fisher's Pass. Instead, we trekked up through what I thought of as stone gardens and around small snowfields to the shoulders of Mt. Skokomish, affording us occasional views East, and nothing but mist to the West.

"I guess we need to head back soon. I'm ready to hop on," I said as I snuggled Edward's back. He twisted me around to his chest and gave me a sweet lingering kiss. I'm in heaven, could he feel it too? I wanted to hope so. Badly.

He pushed me away too soon and said, "Stay awake for the descent, enough though I know you'll close your eyes for some of it."

Edward was right, I did close my eyes when he jumped down the steep pitches and headwalls. But I did stay awake to catch glimpses of the silhouettes of the mountains and the amazing stars. We reached the abandoned road at the approximate halfway point, we followed it to the right (downhill), eventually meeting the Hamma Hamma Road at an unsigned junction about 200 yards West of the official Putvin trailhead. Remarkably, it took as half as long to go down from the lake as it did to go up. I think this is contrary to most hikers who would probably take as long.

I did fall asleep on the way home in the car thinking that we did not see any mountain goats or marmots but no being surprised. I heard Edward say that Alice, with her foresight, thought to call Charlie to let him know that we were doing something this evening so he didn't budge from the TV when I got home. The last year of school starts too soon.


End file.
